Tombstone epitaph., 1887-10-15
A PESSIMIST VIEW.
"RAlsEi RAiSEI RAISE THE PRICEw
Observations of an Arizona Man on the Condi- tion of Affairs in California-Not a Flattering Respect by Any
 Means.
TOMBSTONE, Oct. B, 1887.

last. The crops were good in the north and middle portion of the State. In the southern part the grain crops are shor!, but there is a fair crop of fruits of all kinds. Business is brisk in all branches, especially in real estate. From the northern counties to San Louis, lands are selling at fair valuation-a price that the purchaser has reason to believe he can make fair interest on his invest ment, live in one of the finest climates on the planet, and raise anything that is necessary for the human family to eat or wear. In the southern portion of the State it is very different; prices of land have been boomed up to such d figure that man could make twice as much by inv, sting his capital in Unied States bonds as he could in real estate in that part of the country.
 From Santa Barbara county south they are digging up orchards and vineyards that are coming into bearing, and laying out towns, town extensions and addi- tions, and suburban districts, to cities on paper.
 found it necessary to stop over at Indio on the desert on account of break on the railroad, caused by the late rains, or lay over at Pomona in Los Angeles county. preferred the latter place a, there was 20 degrees difference in the temperature, and by way of killing time went into a real estate office and en- quired the price of land. The agent told me to get into buggy al the door and he would show me the land and give the price at the same time. replied that did not wish to purchase, that l was laying over on account of break in the railroad and simply asked for infor- nation.
 That makes no difference" was the re- ply; eff l do not sell you tract of land, l will make the whole town think that l have"
 So l got fifteen mile ride for nothing. He showed me, and priced lands all the way from $7oo to $I 300 per acre. nat. urally enquired what man could raise on that land to make an interest un the investment?
 Raise! Raise! Man alive!' said he, ''you are not up to the times--raiss Me price"
 told him to drive back to town by the shortest cut; l wished to go east by the first train, as l would sooner chance I2o degrees of heat on the desert than to stay there and take my chances of being sent to Stockton with Los Ange- les county real estate agent. There IS land enough laid out in town lots in Los Angeles and San Diego counties to sup ply every family in California with q home. In San Diego county they are selling climate, with gravely cactus plain for foundation, at from $500 to SI 800 per acre, the purchaser acquiring title to the land and 200 feet in depth of atm osphere. The upper strata, not being quite as dense. is reserved by the vender for air castles.
 There is time coming when they will have to raise something besides the price in that region to pay an interest on the investment, and the ooner interested partles realze the fact the better for all concerned except the middle men. would net be surprised If within two years some of the orchards, vineyards and orange groves that are now being Cut up into streets and puonc squares would b. replanted.
 Another craze is now agit ting the minds of our bre thern o the outh, as the saying used to be m secession tunes; they want State division; they must have State division. It is bound t, come some time, and might as well come now. They have been abused by their brethern of the north; they have to go more than half the distance to reach the State Capital. Sacramento is cold and damp in the winter. All the Sttte buildings are north of the bay of San Francisco. They complain of the expense of sending crim- inals to San Quentin and insane persons to Stockton. l think myself the author ities made mistake in not putting the insane asylum in the southern part of the State. Newspaper reporters are going around interviewing leading citizens to get an expression of opinion on State division for their papers, and if they do not find the leading citizen, they ask the questions and answer them themselves It is all the same; few st,p to read and none to think. They all say it must come, the only diversity of opinion is some think the movement premature Better wait, they say, until another strata of climate is sold off, and the pop ulation increased. x. Y. z.